Automatic musical instrument.



H. B. SCHAAD.

AUTOMATIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

APPLICATION FILED JULY I. 1 916.

1,264,981. Patented May 7,1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

a I INVENTOR 6 I M By W ATTORNEY H. B. SCHAAD.

AUTOMATIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 1.1916.

1 ,264,981 Patented May 7, 1918.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

INVEN TOR.

Jm faax wia ' UNITED STATES PATENT oE IoE.

HEBMANN B. SCHAAD, OF GREAT NECK, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE .AEOLIAN COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

AUTOMATIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 7, 1918.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERMANN B. SCHAAD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Great Neck, Long Island, in the county of Nassau and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Musical Instruments, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates to improvements in automatic musical instruments, especially instruments adapted to play two kinds of music-rolls including song-rolls embodying the words of a song and wherein also it is desirable for the song music-sheet to travel horizontally from right to left so that the words can be easier read in natural sequence. The features and full advantages of my invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from an understanding of the following description in connection with the drawings.

These show diagrammatically only one of the specific embodiments that my invention is adapted to take and in them Figure 1 is a front elevation of the tracker box of an automatic piano containing and having incorporated therewith devices within my present invention; Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the devices in Fig. 1; Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic end-elevation of the same devices from the view-point of the arrows III in Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is an enlargement of the end of Fig. 2; and Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view through take-up spool, tracker board and a special music-roll all in play-' ing relation.

I will now describe the specific devices of the drawings :-1 is the tracker-box of the instrument, 2 is a vertically disposed tracker-bar which may be of any usual construction to cotiperate with a perforated note-sheet or the like. 3 is the take-up spool. 4 is a special or song roll differing from the ordinary or regular roll. Thus the song roll has the words of the song printed on it together preferably with the solo or accompaniment or both parts of the score located in proper vertical relationship to the corresponding note-perforation in the music-roll. Further the song-roll 4: differs in having its treble note-perforations uppermost when the roll is positioned for playin .as shown in Figs. 1 and 5, whereas a regal ar roll in the same position would have its bass note-perforations upppermost. Accordingly I have conceived the idea of playing the song roll 4 in the position shown as aforesaid wherein the Words and score unfold themselves to the eye in natural sequence as the sheet travels from right to left; and, at the same time, I have conceived the idea of playing the regular rolls by arrangingthem in the position occupied in the drawings by the take-up spool 3, in which case the note sheet will travel from left to right, so that the treble note-perforations are uppermost, as they should be, in the playing of both kinds of rolls whether special or regular.' For this purpose I make the take-up spool 3 readily removable from the bearings at the left of the tracker 2 and as readily insertible in the same bearings which in the drawings now operatively support the song-roll. Said take-up spool having been quickly shifted as aforesaid to the right of the tracker, the regular or ordinary roll is inserted in the empty left-hand clutches with the sheet passing over the tracker like the special roll 4 with the only difference that it travels from left to right.

The right-hand bearing parts 5 and 6 are the same as those now commonly used for op eratively supporting the music-rolls. Thus the part 5 is freely rotary, is spring-pressed upwardly, and has a. plain upper end receivable into a cup in the lower end of the' music-roll. The upper bearing part 6 is also freely rotary but differs from the lower part in having its end or clutch portion flattened like the end of a screw-driver, said end being receivable in a corresponding clutch-socket in the upper end of the music roll. Further this part 6 does not yield vertically because it is in geared connection with the driving shaft 7. For this purpose the upper end of said part 6 projects through the top of the tracker-box and carries preferably a spiral gear 8 meshing with another spiral gear 9 on the aforesaid shaft 7.

From the foregoing it will be seen how readily the music roll 4 can be removed from playing position by merely pressing it downwardly against the part 5 until its upper trunnion can be freed from the part 6, followed by the removal of its lower trunnion from the first named part 5.

These same parts are duplicated on the left side ofthe tracker and are given the same numerals asthose 'us't described on thethe right side, except that t e'shaft correspondingrto shaft 7 isdesignated 77. a

he take-up spool 3 like the music-rolls, has a plain socket in its lower end and a clutch-socket in its-upper end so; that it is instantly removable from the operative position between one set of bearing parts 5 and 6, and insertiblelike a music-roll in operative position between the other pair of parts 5 and 6.

The'take-u spool isfurther novel in having-two hoo s 10 pointing oppositely,\one or the other being used for the attachment of the loop-end of the music-sheet depending onwhich side of the tracker the takeup spool happens to be. a p

The motor is represented by its driveshaft 11 having connected to it a chain-andsprocket-device 12. Clutch-means and driving-connections of any suitable sort are provided between the motor and the respective shafts 7 and 77, drive the take-11 hand positions to unwind or play the music-roll and which when desired will drive a music-roll on the left. of the tracker or on the right, to rewind said roll.

Toguide the user, the music-roll box is marked as shown in Fig. 1 Regular roll and Special roll meaning that the ordinary or regular roll is to be inserted between the bearing parts on that side of the tracker, and the song or special roll on the side bearing said designation Special roll. Finally manual means 14 is provided at the left side of the tracker comprisinga button on a stem slidable in a slot 15 in a plate marked Play at one end and Re roll at the other, said part 14 being operatively connected with the clutch-means for operating it at will topla-y or reroll as desired the music-roll located in the same side of the tracker. Similarly another manual control 7 part is provided on the right of the tracker designated 140 which' extends through a slotted. plate 150 and controls the operation of. the clutch means to.plaly or to reroll at will the special roll located on the same side of the tracker.

Thus the indications on the tracker-box tell the user on which side of the tracker 'ven roll should be inserted, and then all it has to do is operate the" manual clutch-control means on the same side to play the .roll and reroll it.

The aforesaid clutch-means will now be briefly described although no special importance is attached to the specific means shown since it may take many forms. In that shown, 16 is a shaft which is driven in a clock-wise direction from the motor-shaft 11 by the chain-and-sprocket connection 12.

17 is a parallel shaft continuously driven in which when desired will in either its left or right the. same'direction' from shaft 16 through the intermediary of gearing .18. 19 isa fixed rod or axle supported lengthwise between the two shafts 16 and 17 and rotatably supporting two independent sleeves '20 and 21. The sleeve 20. carries gears 20 and 20, and. also has adriving sprocket 20* which is connected by the. chain 20 with the sprocket 77 on the shaft 77; whereas the sleeve21 has a air of gears 21 and 21 and a drivingsproc et 21 which latter is connected by thechain 21 with the sprocket 7 a 16 bears a pair of splined sleeves 24 and 25 carrying gears 24* and 25. 26 and 27- are a pair of independent sleeve-shifting levers centrally pivoted on the same pin 28 projecting from the stationary axle 19. The ends of the lever 26 have pin and slot connection respectively with the sleeves 22 and 25, and those of the lever 27 are connected with the sleeves 23 and 24, so that. when either ,lever is rocked about the pivot pin 28, it will produce a shifting 'move-' ment of theassociated pair of sleeves and,

hence, of the gears carried thereby. Finally the levers 26 and 27 are respectively connected through the rods 14 the manual control members 14 and 140.

1 The intended operation 'is as follows When the control 140 is moved to play position, itshould drive the take-up spool 3 in its lefthand position shown in Fig. 1

to unwind and play a special-roll. This it does by pushing the rod 140 to the right and the upper end of lever 27 to the left, and sleeve 24 to'the left tovmesh its gear 24 with the gear 20 on the sleeve 20 which is. therefore driven in a counter clockwise direction from the live shaft .16' and in turn drives the shaft 77 counter clockwise and therefore the take-up spool through the sprocket 20, chain 20' and sprocket 77 (Fig. 3), said spool turning clockwise.

On the other hand, said special roll will be rerolled on adjusting the control 140 to Re roll because this will pull the rod 140 to the left, and through the lever 27 will unclutch the sleeve 24 so as to'stop any further playing of the roll, at the same time that the lower end of said lever 27 will slide the sleeve'23 to the left to mesh its gear 23 with gear 21 so as to drive the sleeve 21 from the live shaft 17, whereu on the,

sprocket 21 on said sleeve 21 will rive the shaft 7 in a clockwise direction (Fig. 3) through the chain 21 and sprocket 7 to rotate the special music-roll in rerolling direction. I

There is an analogous mode of operation when the take-up spool has been transferred to the right hand side, a regular roll put in similarly and 140 with the left hand side, and the left hand control 14 is operated, so that further description is rendered superfluous.

What I claim is '1. The combination in an automatic musical instrument of an upright tracker-bar, a take-up spool, and means for operatively supporting said take-up spool and a music roll interchangeably with each other on opposite sides of the tracker-bar.

2. The combination in an automatic musical instrument of an upright tracker-bar, a take-up spool, means for operatively supporting said take-up spool and a music roll interchangeably with each other on opposite sides of the tracker-bar, a motor, and clutchmeans for making a driving connection between the motor and the take-up spool in either of its positions, and between the motor and the music-roll in either of its positions.

3. The combination in an automatic musical instrument of an upright tracker-bar, a take-up spool, means for operatively supporting said take-u spool and a music roll interchan eably with each other on opposite sides of t e tracker-bar, the music-rolls being of either of two kinds, one intended to be played on the left hand side of the tracker -'bar, the other on the right-hand side, and means which indicates the kind of rolls intended to be played on the respective sides of the tracker.

4. The combination in an automatic musical instrument of an upright tracker-bar, a

take-up spool, means for operatively suporting said take-up spool and a music roll interchangeably with'each other on oppositesides of the tracker-bar, the music-rolls being of either of two kinds, one intended to be played on the left hand side of the tracker-bar, the other on the right-hand side, means which indicates the kind of rolls intended to be played on the respective sides of the tracker, and manual means for controlling the playin and rewindin of both kinds of music-rel s, said means ein arranged to have the same ri ht and leftand relationship as that existing between the operating positions of the music-rolls themselves.

5. The combination in an automatic musical instrument of an upright tracker-bar, a take-up spool, means for operatively suporting said take-up spool and a muslc roll interchangeably with each other on opposite sides of the tracker-bar, the music-rolls being of either of two kinds, one intended to be played on the left hand side of the tracker-bar, the other on the right-hand side, means which indicates the kind of rolls intended to be played on the respective sides of the tracker, means for controlling the playing and rewinding of one kind of musicrolls, and other means for controlling the playing and rewinding of the other kind of music-rolls, said two control means being arranged in the same right and left-hand relationship as that existing between the operating positions of the music-rolls themselves.

6. The combination in an automatic musical instrumentof an upright tracker-bar, a take-up spool, means for operatively suporting said take-up spool and a music roll interchangeably with each other on opposite sides of the tracker-bar, the music-rolls bcin g of either of two kinds, one intended to be played on the left hand side of the tracker-bar, the other on the right-hand side, and manual means for controlling the playing and rewinding of both kinds of musicrolls, said means being arranged to have the same rightand left-hand relationship as that existing between the operating-positions of the music-rolls themselves.

7 ..The combination in an automatic musical instrument of a tracker-bar a take-up spool, and means for operatively supporting said take-up spool and a music roll interchangeably with each other on opposite sides of the tracker-bar.

8. The combination in an automatic musical instrument of a tracker-bar, a take-up spool, means for operatively supporting said take-up spool and a music roll mterchan eably with each other on opposite sides of t e tracker-bar, a motor, and clutch-means for making a driving connection between the motor and the take-up spool in either of its positions, and between the motor and the music roll in either of its positions.

9. The combination in an automatic musical instrument of a tracker-bar, a take-up spool, means for operatively supporting said \take-up spool and a music roll interchange- June, 1916.

HERMANN B. SCHAAD. 

